1871 - 26th January, The Rugby Football Union founded in the Pall Mall
Restaurant in Regent Street, London to standardize the rules that also removed
some of the more violent aspects of the Rugby School game.

The 21 clubs that attended the first
meeting chaired by the club captain of the Richmond Club, one E. C. Holmes,
included Harlequins, Blackheath, Guy's Hospital, Civil Service, Wellington College,
King's College and St. Paul's School which are still playing today. Other clubs
now defunct, or playing under other names, were the picturesquely named
Gipsies, Flamingoes, Mohicans, Wimbledon Hornets, Marlborough nomads, West Kent
, Law, Lausanne, Addison, Belize Park, Ravenscourt Park, Chapham Rovers and a
Greenwich club called Queen's House. Many famous provincial clubs, founded
before 1871, were not founder members of the Rugby Football Union, though, of
course, they became members later; among these were Bath, Bradford, Liverpool
and Brighton.

One famous name that was missing, though,
was the London club Wasps. Somehow they managed to send their representative to
the wrong venue at the wrong time on the wrong day but another version of the
story was that he went to a pub of the same name and after consuming a number
of drinks was too drunk to make it to the correct address after he realized his
mistake.

In June 1871, the first RFU law stated
that a game would be decided by the number of 'goals' scored only.

Above the first England team of 1871 v
Scotland 27th March 1871 at Raeburn Place, Edinburgh. 2 players appear to
be wearing Clifton caps but as was the fashion in those days they would wear
their school caps.

1872 - In early September 1872 a notice was circulated among the citizens
of the Clifton area of Bristol, which read as follows: - "It is proposed
to form a Football Club for the ensuing season. A Meeting will be held at
the Kings Arms, Redland on Friday 27th inst at 7.30 pm to take the necessary
steps for arranging same. Your attendance is requested by the undersigned,
The Committee pro tem" In the evening 20 people met at the Kings
Arms on Blackboy Hill and unanimously voted to form
Clifton Rugby Club and 10 rules were drawn up. These were based on Clifton
College rules except an alteration was made to Rule 19 "no kicking or
tripping be allowed"

The ten signatories to the letter which called the meeting which founded
the club were

David
Henry Walsh

Born 17th
October 1852. Died 1943. Clifton College 1863-1871. MD Edin. Sen.Phys.
Western Skin Hosp. Tuberculosis M.O. St.George's in the East. Founder
Rontgen Society. Author, Rontgen Rays in Medical Work. Played for Clifton
RFC from 1872-73. Died ?. Clifton's first Vice-Captain. In 1871 the
Walsh family lived at 76 Pembroke Road, Clifton. His father, David H.
Walsh was a Woollen Merchant born in Cheltenham. His mother was Sarah
born in Monmouth abt. 1818.

Above 76
Pembroke Road, Clifton. This is not the house Walsh lived in but is
now on the site of Walsh's house which I suspect was damaged during
WW2.

In 1881
Walsh was living at Ivywell, Stoke Bishop with his widowed mother.

In 1896
he was working at Dundee Royal Infirmary.

Walter
Stuckey Paul

Born
4th November 1849. CliftonCollege 1863-1866. Architect and Surveyor,
Bristol. Played rugby for Gloucestershire.
Died 1925

Above 13
Hurle Crescent, Clifton, home of W.S.Paul

His wife
Marion Colthurst Paul died on Feb 15th 1940 at 13 Hurle Crescent. She
was the daughter of James Godwin of Stoke Bishop. She was buried at
St. Alban's Church, Westbury Park.

William
J. G. Lovell

Born abt.
1853 in Bristol. Living at 1 Melrose Place, Clifton. Listed as a Timber
Trade Apprentice. His brother John J. Lovell was also a member of Clifton
RFC from 1872. Their father John G. Lovell is listed as a Coal Merchant.
Clifton's first Secretary.

Above 1
Melrose Place, Clifton

George
A. Newall

Born abt.
1851 in Scotland. Clifton College April - July 1863. A Civil Engineer
who lived at St. Roque, 131 Pembroke Road, Clifton. Clifton's first
Treasurer. He scored Clifton's first ever try.

Born abt
1854 in Stanford Dingley, Berkshire. Living at 23 Pembroke Road, Clifton.
Father David P. Evans, Tanner and Councillor from Ashburton, Devon.
Eldest brother of Clifton RFC and Scotland International Herbert Lavington
Evans.

Above 23
Pembroke Road, Clifton. Now divided into flats.

William
Robert Webb

Born 1st
March 1852, Stapleton, Bristol. Clifton College 1865-1869. Business,
Bristol. Died 1894. 1871 Clerk at a Vinegar Works, living at Keswick
Lodge, 52 Whiteladies Road, Clifton. Father William Web, widower and
Ship Owner. Both
his sons Wilbert Maitland Webb and Douglas Maitland Webb went to Clifton
College.

awaiting
photo

Above
left: map of 52 Whiteladies Road, Clifton (1901) on the corner of Alma
Road and Whiteladies Road. Above right: The house is now a branch of
the Royal Bank of Scotland with an extension at the front. The rear
garden was built on and is now Papa Deli.

Michael
Martyn Curtis

Born 11th Nov. 1853 in Bristol. Educated Malvern College. Son of Public Accountant John Curtis
of Bristol. In 1871 the Curtis family lived at 101 Whiteladies Road,
Clifton. Now a Corel Betting Shop.

He became ill with "mania". He is recorded as being present in the Brislington House Asylum in the 1891 census.

Walter
Montague Bird

Born
20th September 1854, East Indies. Clifton College 1864-1871. Solicitor,
J.P. Died 1936. In 1871 the Bird family lived at 86 Woodcot Villa, Westbury-on-Trym.

Alexander
Stewart Ward Young

Born 14th
February 1852. Clifton College 1863-1868. Lt.Col RAMC at Cape of Good
Hope. Father Simon A.G.Young a retired army surgeon from Scotland. In
1871 living at 3 Chandos Place, 64 Pembroke Road, Clifton.

Above
64 Pembroke Road, Clifton.

Edward
C. Parker

Born
abt. 1853 in Bristol. Living at 15 South Parade, Clifton. Listed as a
Timber Trade Apprentice. In 1871 his mother Catherine is listed as head
of the household. Her income was derived from House Property.

There were 12 Honorary
Members elected at that first meeting, 2 who wished to be anonymous. 10 listed
below.

James
Fuller Eberle

born 11
December 1854. Clifton College April - Dec 1864. Alderman, City of Bristol;
OBE; Order Russian Red Cross 1918; Freeman City of Bristol 1938. Died
1939.

Brother
of signatory David Henry Walsh. Born 29th June 1851. Clifton College
1863-64.

In 1871
the Walsh family lived at 76 Pembroke Road, Clifton. His father, David
H. Walsh was a Woollen Merchant born in Cheltenham. His mother was Sarah
born in Monmouth abt. 1818.

Above 76
Pembroke Road, Clifton. This is not the house Walsh lived in but is
now on the site of Walsh's house which I suspect was damaged during
WW2.

Edward
C. Parker

Born
abt. 1853 in Bristol. Living at 15 South Parade, Clifton. Listed as a
Timber Trade Apprentice. In 1871 his mother Catherine is listed as head
of the household. Her income was derived from House Property. Also one
of the 10 signatories. By 1881 he had an Oil Shop at 113 Ducie Road, Bristol.
By 1901 he was living 9 Fleet Street, . Listed as a Coach Painter.

born
abt. 1847 Bristol. Lead smelter and iron merchant. Living at Laurel Bank,
Clifton. By 1881 the family were living at 9 Worcester Crescent, Clifton.
His Lead Smelting businesss employed 40 men and 2 boys. The Iron Merchant
business employed 16 men and 4 boys. His sons John Cartland Weston (born
2nd July 1871, died 1932) and Howard Cartland Weston (born 2nd December
1872, died 1947) both went to Clifton College. Neither played for Clifton.
By 1901 he had moved to Kings Norton, Worcestershire where his wife was
born.

Father
of Clifton's first captain, Charles Strachan. Born abt. 1817 in Bristol.
A Merchant. Moved from 2 Wellington Square, Cheltenham to Argyle House,
Pembroke Road, Clifton. An Oil Merchant. By 1891 the family were living
at Wick House, Durdham Down.

It was agreed the colours would be black
and lavender. The club proved so successful that by November a second XV was
formed. An interesting early minute conveys the spirit of the game even as
it is today read, "It was decided to have beer provided for every foreign
match when played on our ground." The King's Arms remained the headquarters of the
club for 36 years.

The landlord of the Kings Arms at this
time was 1863 - 72. James Bale, 1874 - 79. Henry Butson, 1882 - 89. Keziah
Butson

The Kings Arms was re-built in 1902, the
raised pavement and railings disappeared at the same time. This is how the pub
used to look.

Both of the above pictures were taken in
1885. The left shows a very run-down Blackboy Hill with The Kings Arms at the
top on the left with 2 large bay windows. Below a picture taken in 1886 of the
view across the road from approximately where Harold Hockey's now is, slightly
down the hill from The Kings Arms.

Above Clifton College from an original photograph of 1872

Above Clifton College
rugby players in 1872-73. Many of these were the first Clifton RFC players.
On the extreme right at the front is Walter Gouldsmith Gribble (Town House).
He left Clifton College in June 1872. This means that the photograph would
have been taken at the beginning of 1872 and should also include Arthur Budd
(Clifton RFC, England and RFU President), as he left at the same time and
belonged to the same house, so I suspect he's the boy with the mustache, partially
hidden, fourth from right.

The first ground was on the corner of
Coldharbour Lane, near the farmhouse. It is a fact that Clifton Rugby Club have
never had a home ground in Clifton.
Its links with Clifton go back to its founders associations with Clifton
College and its headquarters being based at The Kings Arms in Clifton.

The first match played was against Sydney
College, Bath at Coldharbour Lane. Playing 20 a-side (16 forwards, 2 half
backs and 2 goal keepers!), there were no referees and the laws of the game
decreed that "the captains of the respective sides shall be the sole
arbiters of all disputes". Clifton won by 1 goal, 3 tries and 2 touches
to nil. For more details of that match click
here

At the December 1872 meeting of the club it was proposed that the Mayor of Bristol be asked to accept the position of President of the Club, William Proctor Baker started a tradition that would last until the position became more permanent with the appointment of Harry Beloe on the 11th May 1891.

Above William Proctor Baker, the first President of Clifton Rugby Club

It was in this year that William Webb
Ellis died.

James Arthur Bush selected for England
(Forward). Born 28th July 1850 in Cawnpore (now Kanpur), Uttar Pradesh, India.
Died 21st September 1924, Clevedon, Somerset. He also played cricket for
Gloucestershire and the MCC.

William Octavius Moberly selected for England.
Born 14th November 1850 at Shoreham-by-Sea. Died 2nd February 1914 at Polurrian,
Mullion, Cornwall. His only cap was in the 2nd international fixture in history
while he was playing for Ravenscourt Park. A game more noted for its controversial
refereeing than anything else. Moberly was an Oxford Blue in 1872. He captained
the Oxford rugby XV at the very first Varsity match v Cambridge on the 10th
February 1872 at the Parks in Oxford. On November 7th 1869 Oxford University
made a set of rules at the foundation of their rugby team. Rule 2 stated "that
the Captain be always a Rugbeian". Rugby School provided captains for
Oxford from 1869 until 1933.

It was proposed at the foundation meeting
to run a cricket team the following summer, the colours being the same as in
the football season - lavender and black. This was not successful, and out of 8
games arranged only 4 were played - three being won and the remaining one lost.

On 2nd April 1873 the first annual dinner took place. Above news cutting from the Western Daily Press.

Above the Montague Hotel, Kingsdown Parade, Bristol. Scene of the first annual dinner. The hotel was demolished after suffering severe damage during WW2. The site was never rebuilt on and is the green triangle at the top of Horfield Road.

1873-74

Above rule book from October
1873. As well as the club members it included 59 byelaws. Note Coldharbour
Lane is down as being in Redland.

Above first ever photograph of a Clifton
RFC team. This included the brothers Peck, 15 year old Francis and 14 year
old Herbert. Below details of the players in this picture which shows how
much this club relied on CliftonCollege for players at the beginning.

Born 1st
March 1852, Stapleton, Bristol. Clifton College 1865-1869. Business,
Bristol. Died 1894. 1871 Clerk at a Vinegar Works, living at Keswick
Lodge, 52 Whiteladies Road, Clifton. Father William Web, widower and
Ship Owner. Both
his sons Wilbert Maitland Webb and Douglas Maitland Webb went to Clifton
College.

awaiting
photo

Above
left: map of 52 Whiteladies Road, Clifton (1901) on the corner of Alma
Road and Whiteladies Road. Above right: The house is now a branch of
the Royal Bank of Scotland with an extension at the front. The rear
garden was built on and is now Papa Deli.

Alexander
Stewart Ward Young

Born
14th February 1852 Redland, Bristol. Clifton College 1863-1868. Lt.Col
RAMC at Cape of Good Hope. Father Simon A.G.Young a retired army surgeon
from Scotland. In 1871 living at 3 Chandos Place, 64 Pembroke Road,
Clifton.

In
1881 Francis Peck was aboard the troopship HMS Serapis heading for India.

Above
HMS Serapis

His
obituary appeared in The Times on April 18th 1908. It said

The
death is announced of LIEUTENANT-COLONEL F.S.PECK, of the Indian Medical
Service. Colonel Peck, who was son of the late Mr.W.B.Peck, was educated
at Clifton College, afterwards at the Bristol Medical School and Royal
Infirmary, and St. Thomas's Hospital, London. He entered the Indian
Medical Service in 1880, and served with the Burmese expedition in 1886-87,
receiving the medal and clasp. He was gazetted lieutenant-colonel in
1900, and for some time held important professorships at the Medical
College and Eden Hospital, Calcutta. Last summer, while home on leave,
he had the misfortune to meet with a very severe accident at Sheringham
while crossing the railway adjoining the golf course, and was knocked
down and run over by a passing train. Although not entirely recovered
from the accident, he returned to India to resume his official duties.
Unfortunately, his health broke down, and he died on the homeward voyage
to England

Above
Eden Hospital, Calcutta

Above
a steam train of the North Norfolk Railway that passes through the golf
course at Sheringham.

born
9th March 1856 in Ireland. Educated at Rugby School, Exeter College Oxford. Inner Temple 1883. He died on 19th Nov 1883 when out shooting in Clonakilty, Co. Cork, Ireland. He dropped his gun which fell to the ground and fired the contents of both barrels into his ankle. His leg had to be amputated and he died of shock the following day.

In 1881
he was living at 12 Sion Hill, Clifton and is listed as a Cotton Merchant.

Above 12
Sion Hill, Clifton.

In
1891 he was living at 1 Bedford Place, Station Road, Sidmouth with his
wife Elizabeth who was born in Milltown, Co. Kerry abt 1843.

In
1901 Henry Francis was Secretary of the Clifton Hydro. The "Clifton
Grand Spa and Hydro" was opened in 1898. Now the Avon Gorge Hotel, it
began life as a spa for those wishing to drink the Hotwells water which
was pumped up from the foot of the cliff to an elegant pump room 100
feet long by 57 feet wide. There were also a variety of showers and
baths. With the decline of the leisured classes and interest in hydropathy
after the First World War it began to be used for regular balls, white
tie and tails obligatory. The Rocks Railway alongside the hotel was
a favourite way to reach the Downs from the tramway terminus on the
Portway below until it closed in the 1930s.

Above
left the Avon Gorge Hotel. right the Clifton Hydro next door

Above
plaque next to entrance to Hydro.

Wilberforce
N. Tribe

eldest
son of Wilberforce (born Merden, Kent) a Public Accountant and Selina
(born London) Tribe, born abt 1855 Bristol living in Westfield Park,
Westbury-on-Trym. An accountant.

Thomas
R. Barnes

Thomas
Barnes, Timber Importer. born abt. 1836. Living at Woodside, Westbury-on-Trym.
His son Horace T. Barnes also played for Clifton.

In
1891 he was married to Annette M Alexander a British Subject born in
Buenos Ayres and living at 7 Canynge Square, Clifton. They had 2 sons,
2 daughters, and a Governess and 3 Servants.

Charles
A. Alexander was a Chartered Accountant.

Above
7 Canynge Square, Clifton.

In
1901 him and his wife and daughter Sybil were boarders at 8 West Mall,
Clifton.

Above
8 West Mall, Clifton

Above another photograph
from the same session in 1873.

Walter Stuckey Paul (1849-1925) became a
partner in the Bristol architectural practice of Charles Hansom along with
Frederick Bligh Bond (1864-1945) and Thomas Pope. Frederick Bligh Bond is
probably most famous for his work at Glastonbury Abbey where he was director of
excavations on behalf of Somerset Archaelogical Society during 1908-10. Charles
Hansom was a notable Roman Catholic who had worked on the Pro-Cathedral in
Bristol in 1846 and went on to design Adelaide Cathedral in Australia in 1856.
In total he designed 50 Roman Catholic Churches. He designed Clifton College in
1860.

Above Frederick Bligh Bond. His
excavations at Glastonbury were stopped when he admitted he was guided by
occult means. In 1922 he was relieved of his archaeological post. He went on to
lecture in America and edit the Psychical Research Journal.

James Arthur Bush was away for most of
this season on tour with the MCC in Australia.

Beat Gloucester by 4 goals, 4 touches and
2 touches in goal to nil.

1874-75 - On Saturday, 6th March 1875, the West of England played
Oxford University. The West were represented by: J.A.Bush (captain), A.K.Butterworth,
J.Curtis, J.D.Miller, W.S.Paul, E.J.Taylor (all Clifton), W.Boughton and J.P.Riddiford
(both Gloucester), J.S.Udal (Birmingham), A.Bailey and C.Grindron (both Worcester),
W.Carless and P.Giles (both Hereford), C.Barton and P.Goodwin (both Kidderminster).
M.M.Curtis (Clifton) and J.Hartley (Gloucester) were both selected but unable
to play. The following Monday Clifton played OxfordUniversity and lost 6 tries to nil.

E.J.Taylor, J.D.Miller, A.K.Butterworth
and M.M.Curtis take part in England trials. In the picture above 3 of those
players are wearing different shirts to the other players (except J.A.Bush
who is wearing his England shirt). I assume that these shirts were for that
trial. Also in the above photograph is Walter Fairbanks who played cricket
for Cambridge University (although not a blue) and Gloucestershire. He was
also a Cambridge Blue at rugby appearing in the 1873 and 74 varsity finals.
He was a master at CliftonCollege from 1875-96.

M.M.Curtis selected for England but didn't
play because the match was abandoned. J.A.Bush was also selected but did not
play. Their selection was prompted by a letter the club secretary had sent
to the English Rugby Union when the club was not notified of International
trial matches.

Dear Graham

A Secretary of our club I have been asked to
write to you to ascertain how the South team, which is to play North v South on
Saturday next, was chosen. I have received no notice of the trial games, nor as
to the sending up the names of any men who might be willing to compete for
places in the South XV.

This letter had the desired effect, for a
month later the Clifton Secretary was asked to forward the names of two men who
would like to take part in the trial match previous to the England-Irish
International, and the names of J.A.Bush and M.Curtis (forwards) were sent in.
M.M.Curtis was set to play for England against Wales after the trial but the
match was abandoned due to frost.

INTERNATIONAL RECORD: England Caps 1877

Career Record: P0, W0, D0, L0, Tries 0, Cons 0,
Pen 0, DropG 0

1876-77 v Wales the
match was abandoned due to frost

There is a great deal of confusion about
what international honours M.M.Curtis obtained. The Clifton history books say
it was for England against Wales another says he played for Wales. Both of
which are impossible as Wales did not exist as a national side until 1881. England did play Ireland on 5th February 1877 but the game wasn't abandoned due to frost or
postponed. Clifton did play South Wales Football Club in January 1876.

1877 - Edward Innes Pocock selected for Scotland in 1877 while playing for
Edinburgh Wanderers. He was born on 3rd DEC 1855 in Clifton, Bristol. He died
on the 14th Jan 1905 in Fort Salisbury, Zimbabwe. He was educated at Clifton
College. He had started playing rugby for Clifton in 1873

In November 1875, a game was decided by
whichever team scored the most goals and if that was equal, tries. In 1877 this
was modified so that If a try was converted to a goal then it was only counted
as a goal.

Left a poster for the Glos v Notts
cricket match at College Ground, Cheltenham,
Aug 1877.

3 Clifton RFC players played in this
match James Arthur Bush, his younger brother Robert Edwin Bush and William
Octavius Moberly

This summer marked the first appearance
for Gloucestershire CCC of W.E.Midwinter whom W.G. had met when touring Australia
in 1873-74. He has a unique place in cricket history, for he was Gloucestershire’s
first full-time professional and is the only cricketer to play for both Australia and England in Test matches against each other. The recruitment
of Midwinter to the Gloucestershire ranks caused a great deal of resentment
between the county and Australia. This started when Glos were playing Surrey
at the Oval in the first match of their 1878 season and Midwinter did not
turn up to play. W.G. and Cliftons J.A.Bush flew across London in a four-wheeler
to Lords where the Australians were playing Middlesex. Sure enough, there
was Midwinter padded up. W.G. and Bush persuaded him to go with them to the
Oval to play for Glos. The Australian captain and manager in hot pursuit.

Above Masters of Clifton College taken in
1877 with Clifton RFC player William Octavius Moberly (the England Rugby
International and first Varsity Oxford Captain) and Walter Fairbanks (started
at Clifton RFC 1875-76),(Gloucestershire Cricketer 1877-84).

1878 - Clifton players William Moberly and James Bush
play for Gloucestershire against Australia at Clifton College on 5th and 6th
September 1878 in what was meant to be a 3 day match. The Gloucestershire team
that day was WG Grace, WR Gilbert, WO Moberly, GF Grace, F Townsend, EM
Grace, EF Wright, J Cranston, P Hattersley-Smith, JA Bush and RF Miles.
Australia won by 10 wickets. The great WG only scored 22 and 5 in each innings.
In all 96 first-class crickets matches have been played by Gloucestershire at
Clifton College from 3rd August 1871to 9th August 1932

1878/79,1881 - Arthur Budd selected for England while playing
for Blackheath. Born 14th October 1853 in Bristol. Died 27th August 1899 in
South Africa. He started with Clifton RFC in 1872 and then moved to Ravenscourt
Park in 1876 before joining Blackheath.

1878/79 - W.J.Penny selected for England while playing for
United Hospitals. Scored try on his debut, the first full-back to score for
England. There is some controversy over this try as there are conflicting
reports as to who scored it. A.G.Guillemard writing in Marshall, describes
Penny as scoring. The Times said that Hornby scored. He had previously played
for Kings College Hospital and went on to play for Clifton in 1883 when he was
working as House Surgeon at Bristol General Hospital. On 15th November 1879 he
was one of ten original committee members that founded Middlesex County RFU
while at United Hospitals.

This season was memorable for formation of
the Gloucestershire County Union. The county side was formed by Clifton, Gloucester,
Cirencester, Cheltenham, Stroud and Rockleaze. A Cliftonian captained the
Gloucestershire side from 1878 to 1889. They were J.D.Miller (1878-9-80-1),
A.D.Greene (1881-2), G.V.Cox (1882-3), E.Leonard (1883-4-5-6) and H.C.Baker
(1886-7-8-9)

Above Clifton Captain and first captain
of Gloucestershire John Day Miller. This picture is from the book "Football
- The Rugby Union Game" by Rev F Marshall (Editor) - First Edition -
published 1892 with contributions from ex Clifton RFC player Arthur Budd.
This was the earliest published complete history of the game of rugby. Miller
played in the 1875-76 England trials game for The South played at Whalley
Range along with the Clifton players E.J.Taylor, J.A.Bush, and M.Curtis. For
more on John Day Miller click here

Gloucestershire's first
Secretary was Clifton's John Henry Dunn. For more click
here

Above Clifton RFC 1879-80 includes the
brothers John Paul and John Ernest Bush both younger brothers of ex Clifton
players James and Robert Bush. Note the Peck brothers (1873-74 photo) still
playing for Clifton, Francis Samuel Peck now aged 21 and Herbert
Withers Peck aged 20 veterans of six seasons.

Beat Gloucester home and away.

Gloucestershire and England Cricketer James Cranston joins Clifton. For more click here

Above Henry Herbert Wills who joined Clifton RFC in 1879. He was born on the 20 th March 1857. The son of Henry Overton Wills III. He was educated at Clifton College from 1872 to 1874. Brother of Maitland Wills. Director Imperial Tobacco. High Sherrif 1910. He died on the 11th May 1922, Age 66, at his home at St. Vincent's, Clifton Park, Bristol. A requiem was held at All Saints Church, Clifton and the funeral service at Bristol Cathedral. He was buried at Canford Cemetery, Bristol.